


And Martin Blackwood Said "Thank You"

by Writing_will_be_my_death



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Asexual Character, Crack Treated Seriously, Everybody Lives, Everybody loves Martin, M/M, Slow Burn, Trans!Martin, Web!Martin, Wow i forgot that that is a needed tag, but not in a bad way, except maybe jonah i might kill him not sure yet, he technically gets misgendered but it's redacted, i guess?, more tags to be added as the story progresses, the prologue is sad but everything after that is mostly going to be funny
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-14
Updated: 2020-12-15
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:21:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24722212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writing_will_be_my_death/pseuds/Writing_will_be_my_death
Summary: So if Martin meets a strange girl who helps him with his groceries and calls him her little brother, and some fog makes some bullies forget they were teasing him, and a mannequin helps him find the perfect clothes, and if those who hurt him are hunted down by strange wolves, and if there is always an eye to watch him and an ear to listen to him, and a strange yellow door helps him get to wherever he needs to be right on time, well, who is he to complain.
Relationships: Martin Blackwood/Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist
Comments: 189
Kudos: 390





	1. My Mum and My Mother: A Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> inspired by this post: https://r0sebutch.tumblr.com/post/617114113016037376/au-where-all-the-entities-love-martin-just-as-much by r0sebutch on Tumblr. also sorry to all the people who subscribed to my account for Homestuck, I write magnus archives stuff now.

Martin Blackwood has always been kind to spiders. Something about them sitting silently in the corners, catching pesky bugs and not asking for any thanks has always made him feel like they deserve a thanks. Just think of how many flies would be everywhere if there weren’t any spiders.

His mum is, always has been, and always will be, afraid of spiders.

He remembers when he first saw her kill a spider. He was 6 or 7, his father was still around, and Martin was not yet called Martin by anyone. It was a strange and colourful thing, spinning its web on Martin’s chair. Martin didn’t mind it at all, but his mum was horrified.

“Wretched thing!” She screamed as she crushed it with a spatula.

“For christ’s sake, it’s just a bloody spider,” his father had replied.

“No vermin like that are allowed in my house, disgusting little thing.”

That night, Martin had snuck downstairs to scoop up the spider’s corpse and bury it in the back garden.

“I’m sorry my mum squashed you. She doesn’t know how lovely you are. I-I hope your friends stay away from here so they, y’know, don’t get squashed too.”

Martin didn’t see another spider in his house until he was 8. His father hadn’t come home for a few days, and his mum had started having trouble getting out of bed, often sending Martin to bring her food instead of getting it herself. He was heating up soup for her when he saw the spider sitting in the corner of the living room, atop a beautifully spun web.

“Oh, Little spider, you shouldn’t be here,” he had said as he sits next to it. “If my mum comes down here, she’ll surely squash you. Come on, let’s get you outside.”

When Martin extended his hand out to capture the spider, it instead had happily crawled onto his palm. Martin smiled to himself that the spider accepted his help. He likes being helpful.

“Stay out here, okay?” he whispered to the spider when he had put it on the fence outside his house. “It might not be safe from storms and stuff, but it’s safe from my mum.”

Martin’s mum is not pleased with the wait time for soup.

“Couldn’t find it? You’re the one who put it away [Martin]. You should’ve remembered where you put the soup.”

“Yes, I’m sorry mum.”

“No you’re not.”

“I am-”

“A truly sorry [son] would’ve gotten me crisps as an apology. You’ll never make a good [husband] or [father] if this is what you’re like.”

“I’ll… I’ll do better next time.”

“You’d better.”

Martin did his best not to cry that night. Looking out his window, he watched another family have a barbecue in their backyard and smelled the smoke seep through his partially opened window. A spider had also found its way through the window, and gently crawled onto Martin’s arm.

“Oh, hey, I told you to stay outside. It’s not safe here. I mean, mum’s not gonna come into my room, but still. You should probably go outside. More bugs out there.”

He sighed, and the spider does not answer.

“Mum said that dad’s not coming back. I don’t… I don’t know if I believe her. He wouldn’t just abandon us, would he? Right as mum starts to need so much help?”

Tears had started to well in Martin’s eyes, and the smoke had begun to curl around Martin, but the spider waved it away.

“Heh… thanks for that little bud, but I dunno if that’s gonna be much help. Even if there’s no smoke to sting my eyes, I’m still gonna- I’m still-”

And Martin cried, he wailed, and the spider let the smoke turn fog so Martin’s mum wouldn’t hear him cry. And Martin didn’t feel so lonely with the spider on his arm, even if he knew he was alone.

“...Sorry,” He’d said once he’d calmed down. “I thought you’d leave once I cried but… thank you, for listening. For staying.”

As Martin smiled at the spider, he could’ve sworn it smiled back. Little did he know, he’d just gotten a new Mother

So if Martin meets a strange girl who helps him with his groceries and calls him her little brother, and some fog makes some bullies forget they were teasing him, and a mannequin helps him find the perfect clothes, and if those who hurt him are hunted down by strange wolves, and if there is always an eye to watch him and an ear to listen to him, and a strange yellow door helps him get to wherever he needs to be right on time, well, who is he to complain.

And if a fire burns his old documents, the fog ensures no one remembers he was ever not called Martin, a spider makes him new documents, and a man with too many bones makes his body something he’s more comfortable with, well, he knows to thank his Mother and not his mum.

So when he is recommended a job at the Magnus Institute, and his Mother says the head of institute may be a dick but he won’t fire you, Martin knows to thank her, as she will thank him for trusting her. For loving her enough to save her children from the wrath of his mum.


	2. Message Received

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There always seems to be a spider around him, crawling around his papers, on the trays he brings tea on, once Jon had even seen a spider on Martin’s arm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me: yeah this is going to be funny!  
> Also me: writes this
> 
> I'm sorry yall I'm so used to writing angst  
> also I do not know places in the uk ok im candian leave me alone

To say that Martin Blackwood contributed nothing but delays to the archival branch of the Magnus Institute would be an understatement. From misplaced documents, ending up in the entirely wrong location, a distractingly annoying smile, and spilling tea on notes, It would appear as though Martin Blackwood is actively trying to sabotage any and all archiving than Jon tries to do. It doesn’t help that there always seems to be a spider around him, crawling around his papers, on the trays he brings tea on, once Jon had even seen a spider on Martin’s arm.

Jon has tried to get Martin fired.

“I sent him to Buckhurst Hill and he ended up in Harrow! We can’t afford to keep someone like that here!” Jon had shouted.

Elias continued to write, despite him. “Then perhaps you ought to train him, Archivist.”

“He shouldn’t need training for basic navigation! It takes a completely different line to get to Harrow! Elias, Martin is a liability and he’s going to get himself killed.” 

Elias looked up at Jon. “I didn’t realize you cared about him.”

Jon gritted his teeth. “I don’t want it on my conscience that I sent one of my assistants to their death.”

“Then forbid him from fieldwork,” Elias replied, returning to his paper.

“He’s ruined 7 documents already by spilling tea on them, I really don’t think that’s a good idea.” Jon sighs. “Elias, look, I don’t know why you’re so adamant about keeping him on the team, but he contributes absolutely nothing to our work and is a hindrance at best. If I had the authority, I would fire him.”

“Unfortunately, Mr. Blackwood is… tied to a family, of sorts, that provides the institute with, ah, protection, from certain paranormal beings that don’t like what we do.” Elias sighs. “Firing Martin would put us on bad terms with them, and I’m not too keen for that to happen.”

“What, so you’re being blackmailed?”

“No, it’s not that. They simply... stand stronger with their family then they do with their friends.”

“Right okay, we’re being blackmailed by our paranormal guardians. Lovely. Do they protect Martin when he goes headfirst into speaking with potentially dangerous subjects, or is he just doing that because of his incompetence?” Jon’s voice dripped with venom.

“I believe they protect him, yes.”

“Do they protect Tim and Sasha as well?”

“No clue. It’s likely, but I have no evidence either way,” Elias’s smile faltered. “Though if I were you, I’d stay on Martin’s good side.”

“Alright then, thank you, I suppose.”

As Jon had gone to leave, Elias said one more thing. “I’ll let you know if I find anything about Martin.”

And that’s how Jon finds himself being handed a tape from Elias as he walked in in the early morning.

“It was one of Gertrudes,” Elias says kindly. “No clue what it was doing in the back of one of my filing cabinets, but you know how her organizational skills were.”

Jon takes the tape quickly. “Uh, yes, thank you.”

“Have a good day!” Elias says and leaves before Jon can reply.

Jon hurries down to his office, eager to listen to whatever Elias had found about MArtin. Perhaps the blackmail was far more real than Jon had assumed. He needs to listen to this tape.

“Oh hey! Boss!” Tim shouts as he steps in front of Jon, stopping him in his tracks.

“Not now, Tim-”

“I got the stuff on the Lee Rentoul statement you wanted-”

“Yes just give me the papers-” Jon snatches the few papers Tim was holding ou. “And get out of my way,” he bites out.

“Something wrong? You’re not usually this pissy, not even with Martin.”

“I’m busy,” Jon replies, pushes past Tim, and slams the door to his office closed after he enters.

Jon sighs as he sets down Tim’s papers and Gertrude’s tape on his desk and sits down in his chair. He pulls out the tape player from the top left drawer of his desk with shaky hands and carefully places Gertrude’s tape inside. He goes to press play, but hesitates, before getting up to lock his office door.

“Don’t want anyone barging in while this is playing,” Jon mutters to himself as he sits back down 

The tape plays Gertrude’s voice abruptly, as though the true beginning was cut out.

“-I don’t normally record things anymore, but given the participants in this encounter, I do not trust words written down on paper to remain… unaltered. Two weeks ago, Annabelle Cane approached me as I was leaving my home. I was prepared for her to attack me, as she does not usually interfere with anything or anyone so directly. I was, however, overreacting. She merely made polite conversation, though I don’t doubt she was gathering information for the Mother. The only odd thing she said was just as she was leaving. She told me, in these exact words, ‘If you value your life and your research, you’ll bring no harm to Martin Blackwood,’ and offered no extra information. 

“I didn’t know who this Martin Blackwood was at the time, but apparently he was recently hired here at the institute as a researcher. I followed him around a bit, trying to figure out why a child of the Mother would be so protective over someone, so far as to send Annabelle herself to warn me against harming him. I found several instances of him using the Distortion’s doors, and yet he is never trapped there. He even invited Michael over to his flat for tea. Breekon and Hope made a delivery on Wednesday. It appeared to be a bottle of pills, and at first this alarmed me, but upon learning of his sick mother, it’s likely her medication that he’s getting free of charge. I did witness him going to a coffee shop and talking with Jude Perry, though I was unable to hear what they were talking about. Based on the amount of laughing and exaggerated expressions, however, Martin was either unaware of who he was speaking to, or they are friends. A member lightless flame befriending a child of the Mother is strange and quite alarming, and I will see what I can do to monitor them. 

“Whatever Martin Blackwood is and whatever he’s planning, it would likely be best for me to stay on his good side or stay out of his way. I will continue to monitor him to see if I can confirm his involvement with other-”

The recording ends as abruptly as it had begun. What the hell is the distortion, the mother, and the lightless flame? Who’s Michael and Jude Perry? Martin had mentioned that Breekon and Hope Deliveries were the ones who delivered his mother’s medication during the research of statement 9982211, but unfortunately, they refuse to talk to about their other deliveries under “client confidentiality.” Martin had nothing to say on the matter of the company’s liquidation in 2009, and likely will have nothing new to say if Jon were to ask again now.

Gertrude seems remarkably competent in this recording, especially compared to the state she left the archives in. Though, stalking a Magnus employee seems a little ridiculous. 

_it would likely be best to stay on his good side_

Jon knows he can’t avoid his own assistant. He knows this. He also knows he’s been quite rude to Martin in hopes that that will improve his performance. However, if Elias thought that this tape would be beneficial for Jon to listen to, it stands to reason that being nice to Martin can’t hurt. Trusting Elias, his boss, can’t hurt-

The door clunks as someone tries to open it.

“Uh, Jon!” He hears Matin say, along with a few soft knocks, “I brought tea!”

_it would likely be best to stay on his good side_

Jon gets up and opens the door as fast as he can. 

There’s a spider next to the cup of tea closest to him.

“Right, uh, yes,” Jon stutters out, taking the cup closest to him while avoiding the gaze of the spider. “Thank you.”

Martin positively beams at him, but this is just tea, Jon should probably do more.

“Uh, case #0150409, check out the subject’s supposed place of residence. I’ll send you the details later today.”

“Oh, um, yeah, that’s, um, that’s who’s statement, again?” Martin asks, while his smile doesn’t fully fade.

Jon bites back a snide remark. Not even Sasha can remember all the case numbers. “Carlos Vittery. It’s about spiders, you’ll, uh, you’ll like it. I think.”

“Yeah, Vittery! Yeah, I can do that.”

“Right then. You have work to do?”

“Oh!” Martin stops smiling. “Yeah, yeah I’ll go do that,” The smile Martin gives as he leaves is not the truly happy one he had given Jon earlier.

_it would likely be best to stay on his good side_

It can’t hurt to trust Elias.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Martin: has some spooky friends  
> Elias: Danger


	3. Fire Alarm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What if the spiders were somehow connected to Martin? What if killing them angered Martin? Sure, Jon doesn’t entirely believe Gertrude’s tape, but he does trust his boss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiiiiiiii sorry this took awhile to write

When Jon got a text from Martin saying he thought he had a stomach bug and would be staying home for a few days, he was glad. Jon wouldn’t need to be nice to Martin, Martin wouldn’t be able to mess anything up, and there’d be less spiders. At least, Jon thought there’d be less spiders, as he’d only seen them around Martin. Now, though, he saw them everywhere, and he could feel their gaze. At least they didn't follow him home. He had killed the first and felt dread pool in his stomach. What if the spiders were somehow connected to Martin? What if killing them angered Martin? Sure, Jon doesn’t entirely believe Gertrude’s tape, but he does trust his boss.

Jon no longer kills the spiders.

Instead, he finds himself around Tim and Sasha, just to be safe. Just to not be alone with the spiders.

“Alright Jon, you’ve spent more time in the assistant’s office in the past week than you have since you became head archivist. What the hell is going on with you?” Sashas says on a friday.

Tim smiles. “I think he misses Maaaartin.”

“No," Jon scoffs. "there are simply a lot of spiders around and I do not appreciate them being here.”

“You read statements of people who have nearly died by supernatural means and yet it’s house spiders that scare you.” Sasha deadpans.

“Most of these statement givers were most likely under the influence of something-” Jon protests.

Tim shakes his head. “I mean we know leitners are real,”

"Because we have proof-"

“Some of those statements literally corrupt themselves after you’re done recording them." Sasha rebukes. "That’s not normal, Jon.”

"I'm sure there's a perfectly reasonable explanation for that, like Rosie not keeping her equipment maintained properly.”

Tim scoffs again.“Oh please, she maintains her equipment just fine. We just have haunted stories.”

“They are not haunted-”

“And yet you’re afraid of the spooky spiders that have started popping up all over the place.”

“I think I agree with you Tim," Sasha says. "it’s actually Martin he misses.”

“I do not miss Martin.”

“Come on, Jon, we all know you’re just pulling at his pigtails, hoping he doesn’t notice your crush on him,” Tim teases.

Jon sighs. “Just because I can recognize when someone is conventionally attractive does not mean that I have a crush on them.”

“Uh, Jon,” Sasha starts.

“Martin’s not really, uh,” Tim stutters out.

“Most people would say he’s ugly, actually.” Sasha continues

“At least people here would. Probably would in America, too.” Tim finishes.

Jon tries not to show his confusion, but it must be evident on his face as Tim and Sasha start talking again.

"Like, don't get me wrong," Tim says. "He's probably got a line up of people who would want to date him. Hell, if he asked me out I'd probably say yes."

"But, it's not for his looks," Sasha clarifies. "That's… that's just you and maybe a few others."

Jon does not give them the satisfaction of an answer. Still, it's hard to get work done in the assistants' office. Tim and Sasha keep glancing at each other and stifling their laughter. Jon finds himself leaving the institute earlier than normal.

"So, you're the new Archivist?" An Asain woman with short-cropped black hair calls out as Jon leaves the institute that day.

"I'm sorry, do I know you?"

"I dunno,” she says as she leans close enough to Jon’s face that he can feel the sickening heat of her body. “The name's Jude Perry, heard of me in any of your statements?"

"Uh- yes- sort of- " She was apparently in a cafe with Martin at one point, she's part of Martin's over protective family, she might be here to kill him because Martin asked her to because Jon was too mean-

"Then you know what I can do, Archivist, and let me tell you, if Blackwood ever lifts his ban on me burning you to a crisp I will not hesitate," her wicked smile widens. "Is that clear?"

Jon nods. He does not know what she can do, but he has enough common sense to not want to find out.

"Good," she spits, and walks away.

A shiver runs down Jon's spine, and he isn’t sure if the heat of Jude or the cold of her absence is worse. The decision to come into the institute on Saturday is an easy one, despite the spiders and lack of assistants in. Whoever this Jude Perry woman is, she's both a threat and friends with Martin, and who knows if Martin is even aware that she's a threat? What if Martin isn't aware of any of this and he's being used? Jon isn't sure what he would do if Martin were to suffer or die. 

Not that he particularly cares for Martin, or anything. Jon would do this for any of his assistants.

The institute is, unsurprisingly, quiet on a Saturday morning. This isn't the first time Jon has been at work on a Saturday, and it likely won't be the last. Well, it might be if the spiders keep showing up.

"Jon! I wasn't expecting to see you in today," Elias says as Jon passes Rosie. "You've been leaving so early this past week. I thought with an assistant off sick you would be doing even more."

"Yes. Well. I've been, ah, busy?" A complete lie. "Yes, I've been busy." A spider on the ceiling mocks him.

"Well, if you need anything, let me know."

"Actually, Elias," Jon calls before Elias is too far. "Do you know anything about a Jude Perry?"

"I'm afraid not. Best of luck with that though, Jon."

Of course Elias hasn't met her. She's just some friend of Martin who has threatened Jon. 

But Elias is, in fact, the one with the authority to fire Martin, and therefore hurt him more than Jon ever could. Is Jude only targeting him? Or is she targeting the archival staff? Are Tim and Sasha also in danger?

Sitting down at his desk, Jon pulls out his phone and calls Tim.

It goes to voicemail.

"Listen, Tim, I know it's the weekend and you don't have to work today, but if you run into a woman named Jude Perry, or if you know anything about her, do let me know. It's important."

He calls Sasha next, who does indeed pick up.

"Jon, it's Saturday, please tell me you aren't calling about work. I'm not coming into the archives."

"And I'm not asking you to do that," Jon sighs. "Have you run into a woman named Jude Perry?"

"No? I don't think so at least, what does she look like?"

"Uh, short, muscular, close cropped hair. Asain, with pale skin. When I saw her she was wearing fairly light clothing, but I don't know if that was a one-off situation."

"Doesn't ring a bell. Why are you asking? Is she, I don't know, dangerous, or something?"

"Potentially. She may have been bluffing-"

"Bluffing? Oh my god, Jon, did she threaten you?"

"She just said 'you know what I can do' despite the fact that I don't-"

"Holy fuck, she might have killed Gertrude or something, Jon, you need to call the police-"

"She was also talking about burning and as there was no evidence of arson I highly doubt she was involved."

"Do you even hear yourself?" 

"I'm not calling the police, Sasha. I have no proof that she will actually harm me," Besides, as long as Martin doesn't want Jon hurt, he should be fine.

"Fine, but if Martin calls the police for you once he finds out, don't be surprised."

“Oh christ, do not tell him, Sasha. Make sure Tim doesn’t either, you know if I told him not he’d do it specifically because I told him not to.”

“I mean okay, but is there a reason why you want it to be you specifically who tells Martin about Jude, or are you just not going to tell him at all?”

“... that’s none of your concern. Have a good weekend, Sasha.”

“Jon, hey-” Sasha tries to say, before Jon hangs up on her.

Martin can’t know that he was approached by Jude. Jon isn’t sure what’s going on with Martin, or who Jude is, or really anything at all. It’s best that as few people as possible know what’s going on. Just to be safe.

Jon goes to pick up a tape recorder, perhaps out of habit, perhaps from something further in his subconscious, but as his fingers brush along it, he feels the furry body of a spider and whips his hand away.

“What are you doing here?” He hisses at it. “Spying on me?” He knows he shouldn’t be rude to it. It could be working for Martin.

The spider does not reply because it is a spider. A very polite looking spider, but an evil menace with no higher thinking capabilities none the less. Jon is sure of it.

“I don’t suppose you know anything about Jude, do you?” Jon continues, shaking his head. He must have gone mad, deciding to talk to spiders.

The spider scuttles off, slow enough to follow, as if beckoning Jon to go with it.

“It’s just a spider. Martin likes spiders and Jude said Martin doesn't want you dead." He tells himself as he follows the spider.

It stops on the front of a box of unsorted statements. Careful to not touch the spider, and watching it at all times, Jon pulls the box off the shelf and places it on his desk. As he lifts the lid off, the spider crawls up to the top lip of the box, and places a leg on one of the files. Hesitantly, Jon pulls out the statement the spider has selected, and reads the title.

"Statement of Jack Barnabas, regarding a short-lived courtship with Agnes Montague in the autumn of 2006." 

Jude's name isn't in the title, but Jon decides he'll read it anyway, in case she makes an appearance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More was supposed to happen but uhhhhhh i wanted to post something. Anyway Martin being conventionally ugly is like... idk weirdly personal to me? Im really not sure when i got that hc but I do know that im definitely tired of every character being attractive. Im not here to be cute im here to be gay and I want the characters I read about to reflect that
> 
> Anyway please leave a comment they give me life!


	4. Second Set of Eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's too much. He spends the whole day curled up on his couch, watching sub-par nature documentaries, and drinking black tea steeped for far too long with an absurd amount of sugar to compensate. He tries, and fails, to not long for the tea Martin would bring.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow i had writer's block then pumped this out in like 3 days. Also I wanted more Sasha in here, I miss her.

Jon can't bring himself to go to work on Sunday. The memory of what Agnes did to Jack, what Jude might be able to do, the fact that a spider was the thing that led him to that statement-

It's too much. He spends the whole day curled up on his couch, watching sub-par nature documentaries, and drinking black tea steeped for far too long with an absurd amount of sugar to compensate. He tries, and fails, to not long for the tea Martin would bring.

The documentary shifts its view to a tropical orb weaver spider, and Jon turns off the tv. There are no spiders in his home. None at all.

Jon arrives at the archives Monday a little later than normal, hoping Sasha or Tim are already inside. He would never admit to being pleased to see Tim already in the archival assistants' office, though he would admit to being entirely displeased with seeing three spiders on his way down. At least Elias seemed similarly displeased.

"Okay, Jon, real talk," Tim says as Jon walks into the archival assistants' office, "what's going on? You used to be so adamant about being in your special head archivist office thing, and now suddenly, you're over here with the rest of us."

Jon sighs. "Don't pretend you haven't seen the spiders, Tim. They're everywhere and… and you know how I am with spiders."

"Yeah, I know you've got arachnophobia, but you were never this bad. You just always immediately killed them. What changed?"

"I don't know," Jon lies. "I just… don't laugh, but I feel like they're plotting something."

"Afraid to turn out like Carlos Vittery?" Tim half-heartedly jokes, likely in an attempt to lighten the mood.

"Vittery…" that was the last statement Martin had looked into. Did the spiders kill him?

"By the way, what was up with that voicemail you left me? Sasha said that that Jude woman threatened to kill you?"

"Tim, I assure you that I am fine."

"Seriously, Jon, if someone's threatening you-" Tim starts but is stopped as Sasha barges into the room.

"Hey, Jon, can I talk to you in private, right now? Thanks," she rushes out, and then leaves the room as quickly as she entered it.

It has to be something to do with Martin, or Jude, or maybe a spider attacked her!

"This conversion isn't over!" Tim calls as Jon chases after Sasha.

She's standing in the doorway to Jon's office, biting the nails of her left hand.

"In my office, then?" Jon asks.

Sasha nods. "Yeah, sure."

Jon sits in his chair, and Sasha in the one on the other side of Jon's desk. Jon keeps half his attention on the door, in case anyone tries to come in and interrupt.

"So," he starts. "what do you need? What happened?"

"I… I met someone. Something? I'm not sure, it… it wasn't really clear if it was a person or, or a thing?"

"What do you mean?"

"Just to be clear, Jon, I'm not making a statement. I don't think enough happened for this to warrant being a statement…"

"Of course. I'm not recording this, that would just be extreme paranoia."

"Alright, well, I was at a café that I often go to, usually before work but occasionally on weekends too, and that's when what seemed like a man approached me and sat down across from me. When I asked him who he was, then went on forever about the intricacies of the self, but I think he mentioned that his name was Michael. I think. It also referred to itself as 'the distortion' which was… unnerving? I don't know. I don't remember much of what it said, but when he shook my hand… god it felt like his hand was full of sharp rocks, it was so weird. I can only remember what he said when I tried to leave. 'You all in the archives are safe, but the Archivist's only real protection is Mr. Blackwood's word. I do hope he knows this.'"

“That is… concerning. Yes.” Micheal. The Distortion. Two things mentioned in Gertrude’s tape, and apparently the same thing?

“Did Jude mention Martin as well? Is that why you didn’t want Tim or I telling him? Because I think he should know that he’s being used as leverage against us. I mean, does he even know these people… things?”

“Sasha, I…” Jon pulls Gertrude’s tape out from his desk drawer. “I think you should listen to this.”

Sasha hesitates before hitting play. When she does press it, the sudden start of Gertrude’s voice startles her. She listens intently, brows furrowed together as Gertrude speaks of her observations of Martin Blackwood.

"Where did you get this?" She asks after the tape finishes.

"Elias gave it to me."

"Where did he get it?"

"In his office, though I don't know how it got there-"

"And you trust him?" Sasha exclaims in disbelief, slamming her hands onto Jon's desk.

"I- I'm sorry? What do you mean?"

Sasha sighs. "This tape has been tampered with, Jon, whatever Gertrude started with and continued with has been cut out, and it's almost like- like I can feel that we need the rest of it."

"Well, all we've got is this."

"Did Elias say anything about it? I mean, why did he even give you this?"

"I… was trying to get him to fire Martin," Jon admits. "He just, kept ending up in the wrong place, ruining files, distracting me, and messing up everything."

"Sorry, distracting you?"

"Yes! With, you know, his- his face!"

"Jon! That is incredibly rude! You can't say that!"

"Oh please he knows he's attractive and he still-"

Sasha lets out a small laugh. "Right, sorry I forgot that you find him hot-"

"-I do not find him hot-"

"-but we're getting off topic. What did Elias say when you tried to get Martin fired?"

"Well," Jon starts. "He said that Martin's family provides the institute with 'protection from the paranormal' or something ridiculous like that, and that if he fired Martin, the institute would be on bad terms with his family."

"Okay, so it sounds like Martin is being used as a bargaining chip. When he comes back from being sick, I'll see if I can somehow get together with him and his sister, who sounds like she knows what's going on, and see if I can get any information out of her."

"Just," Jon sighs, "Just be careful, Sasha. We don't know what Martin or his sister are capable of, never mind this 'Mother' figure-"

"I think Martin has mentioned her," Sasha interrupts. "He's said some stuff about his 'unofficial adoptive mother' and that she's why he's got Annabelle as a sister."

"Could be a gang leader."

"Could be just a woman who helps unfortunate kids get back on their feet," Sasha leans back in her chair. "I'll see what information I can get, but please Jon, don't trust Elias. I don't like how he's playing into this I've just- I've got a bad feeling about him, okay?"

"I think he's perfectly trustworthy-"

"You get to trust Elias if I get to tell all this to Tim."

Jon doesn't respond. He knows that Sasha knows Jon doesn't want to involve any more people than necessary, and Tim is still safely uninvolved.

"That's what I thought," Sasha says. "Anyway, I've got some follow-ups to do. Things are slower with only two people doing them."

"Of course, best of luck," Jon replies as Sasha leaves his office.

He isn't sure if Sasha's distrust in Elias is fair, and she seems too sure that Martin is innocent and unaware of everything. Martin is obviously important in whatever is going on. He has to be. 

A spider in the corner of the room catches Jon's eye. It looks very polite, with its soft fur and iridescent colours. Jon immediately goes to the archival assistants' office and works there for the rest of the day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> alright so yall I had an idea and I would like to include a pretty big hc type thing of mine to play a... large role? in this fic. It's basically about the true nature of the fears and what they really are. It would include an oc of mine to also play a large role and idk if ppl want that. It would make the story quite a bit more plot-driven. Jmart will still be the focus obviously 
> 
> I can keep this fic v simple and not do that so uh let me know what yall want?
> 
> Big plot with a personal hc and oc OR just keep it chill and funny and stick largely with canon stuff only?


	5. Developments

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This statement wasn't even particularly bad, and yet he still felt like his head had been hit with a lead pipe or something.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It took me a week to try and figure out how to start this chapter RIP

"Statement ends." Jon takes a breath. This statement wasn't even particularly bad, and yet he still felt like his head had been hit with a lead pipe or something.

"Before I address the central point of this statement," he continues, "namely the question of… whether the sky can eat people, there are a few other facts that need to be-"

The door slams open.

"Hi Jon!" Martin shouts. "Sorry I haven't been in, in like, god, two weeks? A-and I couldn't send you any messages- I swear there's a reason, I mean it's not a very good one, but there is a reason! If, uh, if you want to hear." 

It takes Jon a moment, or a few, to collect himself, after ensuring he clicks off the tape recorder. Martin is wearing a yellow and blue plaid button-up tucked into high-waisted jeans with a brown belt. What catches Jon's eye the most though, is the bright, multi-coloured windbreaker. It should, by all accounts, look atrocious. It does, at least, on mannequins and literally every person he's seen wear something like it. 

Every person, except Martin. It looks, for some unknown reason, nice, on Martin.

"Uh, Jon?" Martin asks, and laughs nervously. "Are you alright?"

"It's nice," Jon blurts in response, mentally slapping himself.

"Uhm, what?"

"The, your, uh, Jacket. I mean," Jon takes a breath. "It's nice."

"Oh! I didn't know you liked this kind of stuff," Martin says, a small smile forming on his lips.

"I don't. Normally."

Martin's smile falls. "Oh. Uh, well, I'm just gonna go… catch up on work, and everything I missed."

"Uh. Yes. Good," Say something better, the man was just sick! Oh god he was just sick. "Glad you're feeling better!" He shouts a bit louder than necessary.

"... feeling better? I wasn't sick?" Martin asks, before his face contorts with panic, "I mean, I really couldn't come in- but I wasn't sick? I- oh god I'll just go."

"You said you had a stomach bug?"

Martin freezes. "What?"

"You- you texted me. Saying that."

"... What? I didn't have my- oh god," Martin says more under his breath, but Jon can't quite hear it.

"Were you- were you robbed?"

"No! No, a, uh, friend thought I was working too hard, so she, uh, she sort of locked me in my flat? She brought her kids over and confiscated all my electronics and ruined all my work clothes," His voice drips with false joy, and he clenches his teeth. "Ruined most of my furniture too," He continues a bit quieter. "She didn't send anything… weird?"

"No? Just the comment about the stomach bug. Well. Technically she said 'bugs' though I assume that was just a typing error."

Martin laughs nervously. "Yeah, yeah, that's… that's normal. She does that."

"Well, ah," Jon takes a breath, "is- are you, safe to go home? This 'friend' doesn't sound too…" He trails off, unsure of how to describe this friend of Martin's without insulting her.

Martin's face flushes. "Y-yeah, no, uh, I think, I think I'll be staying with my sister? My friend means well, but, um, she doesn't really, y'know, think things through? At all."

Jon clears his throat. "Well. I'm glad you're not hurt, Tim or Sasha can catch you up on-"

"Martin!" Tim shouts, clapping his hand on Martin's back. "I'm so glad you're back. Jon has spent way too much time in the assistants' office, he doesn't like the ~spooky spiders~ that have apparently been everywhere since you left."

Martin's face panics. "Wait, Jon doesn't like spi-" 

"Tim, if you could bring Martin up to speed on whatever statement you're working on, that would be wonderful," Jon says pointedly to Tim before Martin can finish his sentence. "And send Sasha in, there's a, uh, statement I need to discuss with her."

Tim shoots Jon a seemingly judgemental look, but Jon doesn't care to try and figure out why. "Sure, whatever you need." Tim says, as he drags Martin away with him.

Jon notices only then the whirring of a tape recorder. He must have forgotten to turn it off. He clicks it off as Sasha walks in, closing the door behind her.

"I'm assuming this has something to do with Martin's return?" She asks, crossing her arms as she sits across from Jon.

"Yes. He said he's going to be staying with his sister, see if you can follow him and find out what they're planning together-"

"No."

Jon sputters. "I'm sorry, what?"

"I'm not stalking my coworker and friend."

"Sasha, you know he could be dangerous and Annabelle could be helping him-"

"I'll see if I can meet her, because I do think she's involved in this, but I'm not stalking anyone just to see if they're involved in something, especially not a coworker and friend."

Jon sighs. "Sasha, this is serious-"

"And if Martin is super involved in this, do you think he'd take kindly to being stalked?" It's not a question, not really. "You need to calm down, Jon. Martin doesn't hate you, I'd go as far as to say he likes you."

"... What if he's in danger? What- what if his sister, and mother, and all these other people are using him and hurting him?"

"Well," Sasha starts. "Maybe you should be nicer to him-"

"-I am!-"

"-And in that case we need him to trust us enough to tell us on his own. It's never a good idea to force someone to talk about their abuse."

"What if he doesn't know?"

Sasha sighs. "Jon, I'm going to be honest. All these people have threatened you, or Gertrude, on the grounds that if you harm Martin, or Martin says he wants you hurt, that's when they'll hurt you. I think Martin is fine."

As Sasha finishes, Jon's phone buzzes.

"Who is it?" Sasha asks.

Jon looks at the text, and shudders. "Martin- or, rather, the- the friend that stole his phone. It says, uh, 'Harm Blackwood, and The Archivists' crimson fate will arrive.' Archivists' being capitalized, and… plural. It's not the first time she's pluralized a word strangely like that."

Sasha takes a breath. "Well, that's mildly terrifying," and she clicks off the tape recorder.

"... did you turn that on?" Jon asks.

"The tape recorder? No, it was on when I sat down. Did you… not turn it on?"

"I- I could've sworn I had turned it off."

"Well it's not like we didn't know something… weird, I guess, was going on."

"Yes, I suppose you're right."

"Anyway, I'm going to see if I can meet Annabelle. Try not to stalk someone while I'm busy, yeah?" Sashs says with a smile as she gets up out the chair.

"Just be quick with it," Jon calls as Sasha leaves the room.

Jon stares at the tape recorder. Had he really not turned it off earlier? Regardless, it was off now, and that was what mattered. Jon shakes his head, and gives his office a good look, watching for any spider that may have watched his conversation.

He doesn't even see the cobwebs he knows were there this morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a thanks to @letsdontdie on tumblr for an idea that some of you may or may not have picked up on by now... :)
> 
> Also your comments give me LIFE seriously every single one gives me happy flaps :D
> 
> **EDIT** I keep forgetting to add this but come talk to me on tumblr @ohnoimdeathing


	6. Observation Notes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He's never paid too much attention to Martin in these moments, or ever really, but he finds his eyes sliding off Martin, ever so slightly. However, as it was quite subtle, he attributed it to his lack of interest in looking at Martin until recently.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i wrote the majority of this in one evening what the FUCK yall

In the few weeks that Martin has been back, Jon has noticed a few things.

The first one, he notices when Martin brings him tea for the first time since before he was gone. He's never paid too much attention to Martin in these moments, or ever really, but he finds his eyes sliding off Martin, ever so slightly. However, as it was quite subtle, he attributed it to his lack of interest in looking at Martin until recently.

The second thing Jon notices is the sudden lack of spiders. Everywhere, not just at the institute. He's accustomed to seeing a few house spiders in his flat, but even those have disappeared, along with their webs. Even when he sees spiderwebs outside and in the tube station are mysteriously lacking their spiders.

The third thing Jon notices, well, it might be related to the second thing, but he doesn't think so. The worms. They're all over the institute, and suspiciously similar to those described to be produced by Jane Prentiss. Jon had initially thought that they had replaced the spiders, but the worms are only at the institute and Martin seems perfectly okay to kill the worms, grimacing when he sees one.

The fourth thing Jon notices is the statements Martin ruins. Or rather, which ones he doesn't, ever, ruin. The ones that corrupt their digital files and require a tape recording, seem to be miraculously exempt from Martin's floundering. Jon doesn't know how he didn't notice that one before, but he's convinced that Martin is marking those statements, cursing them, or knows what they are and for some god awful reason, wants them recorded.

"Or, they have some protection on them that prevents them from being ruined," Sasha had argued when Jon told her about his thoughts on the statements. His gut wants to believe her, to go with her idea that Martin is innocent and unaware of what's going on. He can't be unaware, he's too… too…

Too something. Definitely too something. Too interesting? Jon's not sure that's the right word.

His thoughts are supported when he overhears a conversation between Martin and Elias in the latter's office when he goes to drop off the month's expense report.

"-your little 'friend' could get away from my institute, that would be much appreciated," Elias almost hisses at Martin, to Jon's surprise.

"I'm not her caretaker, she does what she wants, and if that means terrorizing the institute, well, at least she's not murdering anyone," Martin retorts, with a surprisingly strong voice.

"Her filth is getting everywhere, and it's disgusting-"

"That's kind of the point? Just like the watched feeling you give this place," Martin's accusatory tone is even more surprising. "Listen, I don't want her here any more than you do, but my rules are simple, very simple! Don't kill anyone, and try not to hurt the people that I personally care about, and you're okay. You, Elias, only get protection because your institute is useful. Jane is staying well within my rules, and so I won't tell her to stop. She is part of the family, after all."

The silence is broken only by a whirring tape recorder, the tension seeping out into the hall and freezing Jon in place, barely allowing him to breathe. The worms, Jane, could it really be Jane Prentiss? And Martin's rules… has Elias killed people? Well, Sasha had the right idea to not trust him.

"Fine, I'll allow her to stay, for now," Elias says, though it doesn't seem like he had much of a choice anyway. Unless he was going to kill her. "You're still ruining statements, and that's delaying my Archivist's progress. I would appreciate it if you stopped."

"First of all, he's not your Archivist, he's just The Archivist, and he's got a co-Archivist helping him out, yes I know why, no I'm not telling you. Second of all, I'm only ruining the duds. The false statements. The distractions," Martin replies. "Thought you would appreciate that. Speed up his realization that if it records digitally, it's useless." 

"He needs to figure that out for himself, without you distracting him."

"Oh please, I'm positive he's noticed, and I know for a fact that he's progressing just fine, as is his co-Archivist."

"Why the hell does he have a co-Archivist?" Elias spits. "How does that even happen?"

"It happens because one was required. Why was one required?" Martin says and takes a pause. "I'm not fucking telling you." His voice is low, terrifying, and, and, and, intriguing? No, that's not the word. Jon doesn't know what the word is.

Jon's gut doesn't want him to listen, he can feel it, and yet that's part of why he continues to listen. This is important. Martin knows more than he's letting on, and Jon wants to know everything about Martin. 

Everything about his involvement in whatever the hell is going on, that is.

"Now if you're done wasting my time, I've got a few statements to look into. Two fake ones and a real one, a real improvement from before my unwanted vacation," Martin finishes, as his voice returns to its normal cheeriness.

Jon listens for Elias's reply, inching closer to the door, only for Martin to open the door and nearly crash into Jon.

"Oh! Jon! I, uh, I didn't know you were standing there!" Martin says and laughs sheepishly.

"Yes, uh, yes I was just dropping off this month's expense report," Jon replies.

“Yeah! Yeah, I’ll, uh, get out of your way,” Martin added, as he slips past Jon, and picks up a tape recorder from a side table in the hall. “What were you recording?”

“I- uh- I didn’t- I didn’t turn that on,” Jon stammers out.

Martin looks pointedly at Elias. “Spooky,” He says, turning the recorder off and handing it to Jon.

Jon grimaces at Martin’s word choice as Martin walks off.

"You said you had this month's expense report?" Elias says tersely to Jon, clearly trying to ignore whatever happened between him and Martin.

"Uh, yes, here," Jon replies, handing him the files.

"Thank you," Elias gives Jon a strained smile before continuing, "I heard Martin is staying with his sister still."

"Yes? His flat was damaged beyond repair."

"His sister, in Oxford. Quite the trip to get here so early."

"What?" That- Oxford is far. It could be done, in theory, if it was absolutely necessary, but it seemed like his first choice.

"Anyway," Elias starts. "I have to sort through everyone's expenses, so if you could leave."

"Right, yes, of course."

Jon leaves Elias's office, and immediately goes to find Sasha. Luckily, he finds her looking through a storage closet alone, and is able to tap her shoulder to get her to follow him to his office.

"You need to listen to this," He says and hands her the tape after closing the door to his office.

"Oh god, another tape. Is this one of Gertrude’s again?"

"No, it should have a conversation between Martin and Elias that I… overheard," Jon admits.

"You were eavesdropping?" Sasha exclaims. "Jon, you can't do that!"

"I- look. I was going there anyway, I had the month's expense report to give Elias, and to be perfectly honest, I think… I think they both know I overheard," Jon sighs. "Just… just listen to the tape."

Sasha only sighs in response, and clicks on the tape.

"What the hell," she says when it clicks off.

"I told you he was involved in this!"

"I- yeah," Sasha replies. "Wait, so just to be certain, this means you're not going to be trusting Elias, because it kind of sounds like-"

"-he killed someone?" Jon finishes for her. "Yes, I think… I think you were right to not trust Elias. Not sure if we should trust this Jane person though, she sounds like she might be-"

"Jane Prentiss. The worms- god of course," Sasha runs her hand through her hair and slumps against the wall. "What the hell did Martin mean by co-archivist? I mean, how did I get a promotion without Elias knowing? Without me knowing?"

"I- I don't know. We have to find out."

"Yeah," Sasha sighs. "Can I- can I tell Tim now? What's going on, maybe show him this tape-"

"- Sasha-"

"- so he can decide if he actually wants to still work here, y'know, with all this weird stuff going on. There's no way he's going to be able to stay uninvolved forever, Jon."

"I-" Jon sighs. Sasha was right about Elias, Jon can trust her with telling all this to Tim. "Fine. You can tell him. Bring the tape, this one at least. I don't think the other one would be useful to him."

"Yeah, I don't think he needs Gertrude’s theories Martin," Sasha says. "Oh! By the way, I was talking to Martin about meeting Annabelle a few days ago, and this morning he said he finally asked her if she wanted to meet Tim and I."

"Oh? What did she say?"

"Apparently she'll only meet us if you're coming too."

"... ah. Well, I'll uh, I'll think about it."

Sasha shakes her head. "We both know you're too obsessed with Martin's family to pass up the opportunity to meet his sister."

"I'm not obsessed with him!" Jon sputters out. "I just- this is something big. We need all the information we can get."

"I suppose you're right," Sasha says as she crushes a worm under her foot. "And we need to do something about Jane. She might not be a direct threat to us, but I have agreed with Elias that the worms are disgusting."

Jon hums in agreement.

"Apparently she lives in Oxford. Elias told me after the tape was shut off," he continues.

"I... Jon I don't know if I can believe that. That's rather far."

"Quite. Still, it could be true. Worth it to pay attention when we see her."

Sasha raises an eyebrow. "So you are coming?"

"I thought we agreed that I wouldn't pass up this opportunity."

"I'm teasing you, Jon." Sasha laughs as she walks out of Jon's office.

Whatever is going with Martin, Jon wants to know. He wants to know it all, even if he feels like he really, really shouldn't be watching him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is gonna start with some fun shit!! God I almost just continued writing into that scene, but then this chapter would have taken a ridiculous amount of time to get out.
> 
> ALSO! Im going to off college tomorrow, so I might have to slow down on writing this. I also kind of want to participate in a tma big bang thing, which would defeat push this fic to the back burner until that's done.
> 
> Come talk to me on tumblr @ohnoimdeathing !!!


	7. Deceptive Truths

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The door slams shut, locking Jon into his thoughts and the statement in front of him. It should be a relief that this one could record digitally and yet… it leaves him feeling empty. Like there’s something missing, a key piece of information has eluded him. Like he’s been lied to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *shows up 5 months late with an iced tea* heyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

“So great news!” Sasha says, poking her head in Jon’s door.

“What,” Jon deadpans.

“We’re going out for drinks this Friday, all four of us, plus Martin’s sister Annabelle.”

“Oh! That’s good, yes,” Jon replies, as a worm wriggles onto his foot. He shakes it off and stomps on it.

“God, you should go home at a normal time, if only to get away from the worms,” Sasha says with a grimace. “I know I’m heading out now.”

Jon sighs. “I’ll leave soon, just a few things to finish up. Have you told Tim about… everything?”

“Yeah, he’s… he’s processing it. Not quite sure he believes it all. Even with the tape.”

Jon sighs again. “Well, hopefully he… comes around. It would be… a shame to lose him.”

“He took the night early. I think he'll be fine. Anyway, I’m out too. Martin’s still here, so I’ll tell him to make sure you're out soon,” Sasha says with a smirk.

Jon glares at her. 

“I don’t want him barging in here like he owns the place-”

“-I’m leaving!” Sasha sing-songs as she walks out “Bye~!”

The door slams shut, locking Jon into his thoughts and the statement in front of him. It should be a relief that this one could record digitally and yet… it leaves him feeling empty. Like there’s something missing, a key piece of information has eluded him. Like he’s been lied to.

Jon types the statement giver’s address into the google. The house provided doesn’t match what the statement describes it as, and Jon feels betrayed. Why would someone lie about this? This is an academic place of research, not an old library for stupid stories made to scare children into staying home.

“Hello? Are you the Archivist?” An ear scratching voice says.

Jon looks up to see… a tall, almost sickly pale man(?) with long wavy blonde hair.

“... Yes? If you’re here to give a statement, Rosie should’ve told you that we’re closing soon.”

Their laugh is even worse than their voice.

“Oh, your jokes are hilarious, Archivist. No, I’m not here to give a statement. I’m Martin Blackwoods ride home, you See.”

Oh mother of fuck. Jon does not need any of Martin’s… family here.

“Ah well, you just wait up in the waiting area by reception upstairs. I’ll let Martin know that you’re here, uhhh, w-what’s your name?”

They smile, sharp and curling.“To assign one a name is to confine them to a singular string of vocals, limited by only what the human vocal cords can produce. Personally, I think it’s a shame that… that people confine themselves to these boxes-”

“-are you, perchance, the ‘Micheal’ that Sasha told me she met not too long ago? The one whose hands feel like bags of sharp rocks’.”

Their smile widens.“... Sasha told you?"

"Yes, she did."

"How… trustworthy of her," it says, and leans in close to Jon’s face. "Where's Martin?"

"In the assistants' office," Jon sneers. "Where my assistants usually are, and visitors are not allowed."

Micheal frowns. It doesn't look natural. "Could you go get him for me then? Please?" When Michael's smile returns, it's almost worse. Almost. "His Mother so dearly does wish to see him. Nothing urgent, but still."

"I will tell him that you are here. If he chooses to not go with you, I can’t help that," Jon says as he gets up and walks around Michael.

Hands shaking, Jon opens to the door to the assistants' office, wincing as it creaks. Martin is gathering papers that are spread out on the floor around Tim's desk.

"Martin?" Jon asks.

Martin jumps. "Oh um! Jon! Hey, hi," he says, a shy smile on his lips. "I'm almost done here, what can I do for you?"

"There’s a… Micheal? I think? It's not clear, but ah, someone says they're here to pick you up. Says your mother wants to see you…?"

Martin’s small smile falls, replaced with… well, with a shocked and angry expression. 

Martin rushes past Jon and out the door and Jon hears Martin whisper-scream, "I can't believe they came in here!"

His tone is… interesting. Intriguing.

"Micheal!" Martin shouts. He sounds almost… tired. "Micheal, I said don't come into the institute!"

"Well, it was getting dark! And your Mother would kill me if you came home late."

Jon shouldn't be listening. He can feel it in his bones that he should go into the assistants' office and plug his ears.

And yet…

"Yeah, yeah, I know what you really mean," Martin's sarcasm is thick and lovely. "Terribly sorry I made you experience a positive emotion."

"Oh!" Micheal squeals. "Jane is still here!"

"Uhg yes, she is. Can we… can we talk to her before we leave?"

"Of course!"

By the time Jon leans out the door to see them, they've already left. Somehow. Despite the fact that they were definitely too far from the stairs to have gone all the way up them in less than five seconds.

Jon’s phone buzzes, startling him. He pulls it out, only to see a text from Martin. Specifically, Martin's new phone.

Martin: oh sorry completely forgot but sasha told me to tell u to go home when i went home

Martin: so! go! home!

It feels… strange. To be cared for in this way. Jon isn't sure Martin should care all too much about Jon’s health, he's not in charge of Jon.

But Jon can still feel the oppressive heat from Jude Perry, and silently thanks Martin for the benevolent protection. As he crushes another worm underfoot while walking towards the stairs of the archives, he wishes that Martin’s protection would extend to the worms as well. There's no way this is safe for all the files.

Rosie isn't at the front desk, the institute is closed after all, but Elias is there, sorting through a few papers.

"Elias," Jon starts. "Is there anything you can do about the ah, worm situation? In the archives? I fear we may lose statements to them."

Elias doesn't turn to face him. "They’re not the kind that eat paper," he hisses out, sounding almost entirely unlike himself. "And if you want them gone so much, talk to Martin, who cares for you oh so dearly, about it."

And with that, Elias disappears down the stairs to the archives.

What the fuck.

Jon should follow Elias. He wants to, so much he almost needs to. It pulls and tears at his skin like a needle and thread through fabric, pulling him into the stitch of an entirely new costume.

But.

Martin wants him to go home and it's likely better to listen to Martin than his gut impulses, if only because of how important Martin so obviously is. 

Jon goes home, if only because Martin wants him to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i feel as though my writing is progressively getting worse... rip. Anyway. In case u didnt know im a film student and im going to upload my first film to youtube wednesday evening... https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ_2KsuUgoL9AKk4HlqZ64w? sorry im too tired to try and figure out how to properly link things... go sub to it also my first film is about lesbians so that'll be fun! ! !

**Author's Note:**

> hhhhhhhhhh this is so short but i hope yall like it. all chapters after this will likely be in jon's pov bcz I think that has peak comedy potential.
> 
> Leave a comment and a kudo if you liked this! :3


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